Pneumatic discrete relay



May 2, 1%?" R. .J. FEDOSEEV ETAL PNEUMATIC DISCRETE RELAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 23, 1964 FIG? May 2,1967

R- J. FEDOSEEV ETAL 3,316,938 PNEUMATIC DISCRETE RELAY Filed 001;. 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,316,938 PNEUMATIC DISCRETE RELAY Robert Jurjevich Fedoseev and Alevtina Vjacheslavovna T Fedoseeva, both of Moscow, U.S.S.R., assignors to Nauchno-Issledovateljsky Institute Teploenergeticheskogo Priborostroenija, Moscow, USSR.

Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,093 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-625.)

The invention relates to discrete technique and par ticularly to pneumatic discrete relays to be used in pneumatic systems performing any kind of binary functions.

There are pneumatic double-membrane relays with two membranes clamped at the edges. The membranes are rigidly connected to each other and divide the relay body into three chambers. The outer chambers -are connected with control signal lines While the middle chamber can be connected either with a control signal line or with an output signal line. Located between the membranes are two nozzles which can be coupled with control signal lines. These double-membrane relays are, however, complex, large and expensive.

Simple single-membrane relays are also known, comprising a body, divided into two chambers by a loosely resting membrane. One of the chambers is coup-led with a control signal channel while the other is coupled with a control signal channel (through a nozzle located inside the body close to the membrane) as well as with an output channel connected with the atmosphere via a throttle. These single-membrane relays sufier, however, from drawbacks of their own, e.g. low gain, great response time, low

reliability and high level of energy losses due to con-- stant consumption of air (liquid) through the throttle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic discrete relay with a simple design, high gain and low consumption of air (or liquid).

In accordance with the above and other objects of the invention the proposed relay contains a cavity, two inserts dividing the cavity into chambers provided with input and output channels; two membranes of diiferent diameters, one of which, with a greater diameter, separates one chamber from the others and. the second, with aisma'ller diameter, is. used to block the channels located at two opposite butt-ends of the chamber; means for connecting the membranes and passing through holes in the inserts, the diameter ofsaid means being smaller than that of the smaller membrane and that of said holes. The first input channel enters the chamber of the greater membrane, the second input and the first output channels are located at the butt-ends of the chamber with a smaller membrane, and the second output channel is located at the side surface of the chamber with the smaller membrane.

The greater membrane can be concave resting upon the insert.

To control the relay with the help of a source having the lowest possible air (or liquid) consumption, the membrane can be made flat with clamped edges and loosely resting upon a rigid center fixed on a rigid cylinder.

It is possible to design a relay having a corrugated membrane with a boss at its center. The small diameter membrane can be designed as a ball attached to an oftshoot of the boss.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is the longitudinal section of a pneumatic discrete relay with membranes which are loose at the edges;

FIG. 2 is the projection of the insert shown in FIG. 1 (view from below);

FIG. 3 is transverse section of the rigid cylinder with longitudinal grooves which is shown in FIG. 1;

with the edges FIG. 4 is a relay in which one of designed as a piston;

FIG. 5 is a relay in which one of the membranes is flat and is clamped at its edges;

FIG. 6 is a relay in which one of the membranes is corrugated and has a boss in the center; the second memlgrane is designed as a ball fixed in an otf-shoot of the i oss.

A pneumatic relay with membranes which are loose at the edges (FIG. 1) contains two plates, 1 and 2, superimposed on each other. Plates 1 is provided with chamber 3 having channel 4 used to feed in control signals. Plate 1 has also a channel 5 used to branch off output signals. Plate 2 is provided with a chamber 6 having channel 7 used to feed in another control signal and a side output channel 8. Plate 2 is provided also with a cylindrical hole accommodating inserts 9 and 10 (the projection of insert 10, View from below, is shown in FIG. 2). In the center of the inserts there is a hole through which runs rigid cylinder 11 with longitudinal grooves (the transverse section of the cylinder is shown in FIG. 3). The center hole in insert 10 is connected to channel 5. One end of rigid cylinder 11 is attached to rigid center 12 of membrane 13 located in chamber 3. The other end of the rigid cylinder is attached to a membrane 14 located in chamber 6. The diameter of membrane 14 is smaller than that of rigid center 12. The shape of membrane 13 is such that its edges always rest upon insert 10. Chambers 3 and 6 form a cavity. Plates 1 and 2 are rigidly connected with each other.

Channel 4 is connected with the line of the first input signal P channel 7-with the line of the second input signal P channel 8-with the line of the output signal P channel 5with the atmosphere.

Input signals can be presented as the pressure of compressed air, or liquid pressure. Let us assume that the pressure in the lines of input signals P and P will change in a discrete (step-by-step) manner from the atmospheric level (to be denoted by 0) to a certain given value (to be denoted by 1).

When

the membranes is P1=0 and P2=0, P t=0 when P1=1 and 1 0, P t=0 because chamber 3 is connected only with the line of input signal P When P =-1 and P =1, P =0 because membrane 14 closes channel 7 yielding to the force transmitted by rigid cylinder 11 from membrane 13.

When

P =0 and P ==1, P 1

i out= 2 ii If input signal P is made constant then such a relay will perform a logic function of negation i out= 1i FIG. 4 shows a variation in the pneumatic relay. It consists of three plates 15, 16, 17. In a chamber 18 of plate 15 there is a piston 19 provided with an oifshoot 20 which is positioned in a hole of plate 16 and the diam- :er of which is smaller than that of piston 19. Offshoot D is connected with membrane 21 the diameter of which smaller than that of piston 19 but greater than that of [Tshoot 20 and that of the hole in plate 16. Membrane 1 is located inside chamber 22 made in plate 17. The 1put and output channels are identical to and perform the a-me functions as those of the pneumatic relay shown in 1G. 1.

The relay shown in FIG. 4 operates in the same maner as that shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. presents a pneumatic relay in which the upper membrane 23 clamped at the edges between plates 24 and .5 and rests loosely upon rigid center 26 fixed to rigid ylinder 27.

The input and output channels of the relay are similar 0 and perform the same functions as those of the pneunatic relay shown in FIG. 1. The relay shown in FIG. i operates in the same manner as that presented in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a pneumatic relay in which the greater nembrane 28 is clamped at the edges between plates 29 1nd 30. Membrane 28 is provided with a boss in the :enter and with an offshoot. Attached to the offshoot is a. ball 31 the diameter of which is smaller than that of the boss of membrane 28 but greater than that of the hole in washer 30 and that of butt-end channel 32 in washer 33. The input and output channels are similar to those of the pneumatic relay shown in FIG. 1. The relay shown in FIG. 6 operates in the same manner as that shown in FIG. 1.

A pneumatic relay can operate using either compressed gas or liquid. By using an assembly of such pneumatic relays, it is possible to realize any binary function of any number of variables.

While in the foregoing disclosure the invention has been set forth in relation to its preferred embodiment it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from its true spirit and scope.

Such changes and modifications are considered to fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention if defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic discrete relay comprising a housing defining a chamber; an insert dividing said chamber into first and second portions; said insert having a channel providing communication between said portions; first and second membranes free along their edges, the first of the said membranes being larger than the second of the said membranes and being arranged in a first of said portions; the second of the said membranes being arranged in the second portion; a stem in the form of a cylinder with longitudinal ducts disposed in said channel and interacting with the said membranes; said housing having four holes for inlet and outlet of compressed air; a first hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the first of said portions opposite the first of said membranes; a second hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the second of said portions opposite the second membrane; a third hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the second of said portions alongside said second membrane; a fourth hole in said housing being arranged in said insert communicating between the wall of said housing and said channel, whereby the membranes reciprocate to close the first and second portions by closing the first and second holes alternately while blocking the opposite portion from the channel.

2. A pneumatic discrete relay comprising a housing defining a chamber; an insert dividing said chamber into first and second potrions; said insert having a channel providing communication between said portions; first and second membranes free along their edges, the first membrane being of convex form and larger than the second membrane, said first membrane being arranged in a first of said portions; the second of the said membranes being arranged in the second portion, a stem in the form of a cylinder with longitudinal ducts disposed in the said channel and interacting with said membranes; said housing having four holes for inlet and outlet of compressed air, a first hole in the wall of the said housing being arranged in the first of the said portions opposite the first of the said membranes; a second hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the second of said portions opposite the second of said membranes, a third hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the second of said portions, a fourth hole in the wall of said housing being arranged in the channel provided in said insert communicating between the wall of said housing and said channel, whereby the membranes reciprocate to close the first and second portions by closing the first and second holes alternately while blocking the opposite portion from the channel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,076,477 2/ 1963 Bradenberg 137-625 3,162,212 12/1964 Leding 137-625 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner. HENRY T. IQLINKSEIK, Examiner. 

1. A PNEUMATIC DISCRETE RELAY COMPRISING A HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER; AN INSERT DIVIDING SAID CHAMBER INTO FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS; SAID INSERT HAVING A CHANNEL PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID PORTIONS; FIRST AND SECOND MEMBRANES FREE ALONG THEIR EDGES, THE FIRST OF THE SAID MEMBRANES BEING LARGER THAN THE SECOND OF THE SAID MEMBRANES AND BEING ARRANGED IN A FIRST OF SAID PORTIONS; THE SECOND OF THE SAID MEMBRANES BEING ARRANGED IN THE SECOND PORTION; A STEM IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDER WITH LONGITUDINAL DUCTS DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNEL AND INTERACTING WITH THE SAID MEMBRANES; SAID HOUSING HAVING FOUR HOLES FOR INLET AND OUTLET OF COMPRESSED AIR; A FIRST HOLE IN THE WALL OF SAID HOUSING BEING ARRANGED IN THE FIRST OF SAID 